68 
The Labour Bill in Farming. 
nent record of the strikes and lock-out.* It has been thought, 
however, that one point of practical interest to British farmers, 
suggested by the events of 1874, might be treated in this 
' Journal,' with greater fulness than was necessary or possible 
when these events were described merely for general reading, 
and might possibly result in some advantage through a frank 
discussion of the labour question here. Having no claim what- 
ever to the character of a practical farmer, I had, and still have, 
much hesitation in venturing to speak upon a question of this, 
nature to readers who will be for the most part experts, thoroughly 
acquainted with details, which I can give only at second-hand. 
As, however, I have been asked to place upon record in the 
' Journal ' some of the facts and statistics, gathered in the course 
of my enquiry in East Anglia, as far as they relate to the Labour 
Bill in farming, I do so, though with diffidence, accompanying 
them by such reflections as suggest themselves to an outside 
observer, not an expert, who has watched with great interest, an(J 
under exceptional conditions, the attempt to solve a problem of 
the highest public importance. 
The farmer's position is in many respects a peculiar one, and! 
must be properly appreciated before we can hope to understand 
the question now proposed for treatment. It is his business to 
produce for human sustenance as much animal and vegetable 
food as his land will raise, and to produce it at the lowest pos- 
sible outlay consistently with fair dealing towards landlord and 
labourers. Some advantages belong to the position. Rural life 
is pleasant, and hitherto has been easy-going, though whether it 
will long continue so is doubtful. The farmer breathes pure air, 
is seldom weighed down by too much work, has a healthy out- 
door occupation, can take his share of field-sports. It has often 
been said that he begins life with an employment, and amid 
scenes, which townspeople covet all their days, and hope only 
to enjoy as the final reward of long and successful work. Then 
the farmer has not to face the keen competition of neighbours ; nor 
is he tempted to resort to the sharp practice which, as he reads, 
is but too common in the towns, in order to maintain your 
position relatively to that of trade rivals. What his neighbour 
grows, or how much, is notliing to him, except that he naturally 
likes to farm as well and grow as much. In agriculture there 
is an absence of anything like trade jealousy, trade secrets* 
over-reaching, or unfair rivalry. Farmers have interests in coni' 
mon ; and such competition as exists among them is a generou! 
* ' The Agricultural Lock-out of 1874, witli Notes upon Farming in tU 
Eastrrn Counties.' Kcprinled from ' The Times.' By Frederick Clifford, of th( 
M'lldle Temple, Barrister-at-law. William Blackwood and Sons, lOdinburgh am 
London, 1875. 
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